Australia faces ‘tough away tie’
Australia faces ‘tough away tie’ 
By Robert Grant
Former Australian Captain September 28, 2007
AUSTRALIA cannot count on strolling back into the Davis Cup World Group, according to Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley. The Australians’ crushing 4-1 loss to Serbia in Belgrade last week relegated the team to zonal play-off status.
Australia will meet Taiwan in an away tie in their Asia/Oceania Zone Group I first round match in February.
Tiley said that appeared straightforward on paper but Australia would be wary of any country playing away from home.
”This will be a tough tie. The nature of Davis Cup is that every tie you play is tough, particularly the away ties because the largest percentage of ties are won by the home team,'’ Tiley said.
”What this draw means is that we will have a busy Davis Cup calendar next year.
”But we don’t care where we have to go or what we have to do in our quest to return to the World Group.'’
The tie will be played from February 8-10.
The last time the two nations played was in February 1996 - the only other time Australia has been relegated from the World Group.
In farcical conditions, the tie was due to be played at the Domain Tennis Centre in Hobart but after two washed out days, it was relocated to Melbourne Park and played indoors.
The Australians won 3-0, with Jason Stoltenberg and Todd Woodbridge taking the singles rubbers, and Woodbridge and Richard Fromberg clinching the doubles. The reverse singles were cancelled.
For next February’s tie, Chinese Taipei is likely to call on World No.98 Lu Yen-Hsun, Wang Yeu-Tzuoo (164) and Chen Ti (321).
Lleyton Hewitt at No.21 is Australia’s highest ranked players but if he by-passes the match for some reason the load would probably fall on Peter Luczak, the next highest ranked at 90 and Chris Guccione, ranked 93.
Australia is No.1 seed for the Asia/Oceania Zone Group I and faces a potential second round tie against either No.3 seed Thailand or Kazakhstan in April.
Australia has not played either nation in Davis Cup competition previously but is guaranteed to host a second round tie no matter which country wins the first round.
More trouble awaits here potentially.
Thailand could count on former World No.9 Paradorn Srichaphan, who has now been supplanted as Thailand’s highest ranked player by Danai Udomchoke, who has moved to No.77 in the world.
AAP